


The Ties that Bind - Fall of a Hero

by cheddarbug



Series: The Ties that Bind [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, I will add tags as I go, References to Depression, References to sex trafficking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:42:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25470316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheddarbug/pseuds/cheddarbug
Summary: After the banquet of betrayal, Carine and Alphinaud are forced into hiding at Camp Dragonhead while Eorzea seeks to find them. With the weight of loss resting on the Warrior of Light's shoulders, she does the only thing she can think of and helps the Ishgardians in their plight against the Dravanians. If she thought her dealings with the Ascians and Garleans were through, she has another thing coming as familiar faces return one by one to stamp out the sliver of happiness she's discovered in this harsh world and ultimately bring her to her knees.
Relationships: Haurchefant Greystone/Original Female Character(s), Haurchefant Greystone/Warrior of Light
Series: The Ties that Bind [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1076001
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	1. Prologue

Jambert was going to kill Papapeso as soon as he returned to Thanalan. Had he known that the little shit was going to send him to the ass-end of Coerthas when winter was upon them, he wouldn’t have bet his comparatively cozy position in Camp Bluefrog in that last game of cards. He was still absolutely certain the Lalafell cheated in that last game of Triple Triad, but it was too late to take back the bet. He lost and now his balls were threatening to be frozen off before he made it to Camp Dragonhead. 

It was an utterly bleak journey devoid of the life or color the Hyurian was accustomed to as he trudged through the slush within the rivets of the road. The clouds boiled overhead, dark with impending snow, and the wind sliced at what little skin he left exposed. He cursed Papapeso again, angry now over the fact that the Lalafell was a rank higher and could have taken his company Chocobo whereas  _ he _ was left to walk on foot, cold and miserable.

As a man of Ul’dah, Jambert had never known a frigid winter in all his life. Even Northern Thanalan, where the nights dropped to dangerously low temperatures, could not contest the chill that crept through his bones and rattled his teeth. He wondered how in bloody hells anyone managed to live here where their breath was a constant fog and their tears turned to ice on their cheeks. It was bitter and cold and it nearly made him forget what the sun felt like against his skin.

His toes were nearly frozen solid in his boots when the steady sound of talons on ice alerted him that someone was approaching. In the several bells he had been traveling, there hadn’t been a single carriage or rider on the road, so it was a blessed relief when he turned to see a carriage pulled by two draft Chocobos coming up behind him. 

“Ho there,” the driver pulled his team to a halt as Jambert waved his arms to stop them. He didn’t have much gold, the Crystal Braves didn’t pay nearly as nicely as they proclaimed when he joined, but he hoped it would be enough to take him to Camp Dragonhead and give the lord of the estate the message he had earned with his tragic loss. 

“Where are you headed?” Jambert asked, his fingers clumsy with cold as he reached for his coin purse.

“Camp Dragonhead,” the Miqo’te replied. He was dressed warmly in a woolen doublet and a thick cowl with a hood that protected his feline ears. 

He could hardly believe his luck. The carriage was quite large from his judgment. Large enough to fit at least five or so people if they weren’t Roegadyn or Hrothgar. Luggage was piled carefully on top and strapped behind the carriage making him believe it to be a transport of sorts. 

“And how much would it cost for me to ride along with your patrons to your destination?” he asked, giving the purse a meaningful shake. 

The Miqo’te gave an uneasy flick of his tail, “Apologies, ser, but we are full.”

“That’s quite alright,” the Hyur assured him. “I can hang on to the back. We can’t be terribly far.” It would have been a cold ride, but it would have been preferable to trudging through snow and ice on foot. 

“I am sorry, ser, but we are full.”

Jambert frowned, “What about up there with you?”

The Miqo’te opened his mouth to reply when a new voice spoke instead, “Is there a problem, R’figi?”

Jambert turned around to see that the carriage door had opened to reveal another Miqo’te, though she was far from dressed for such a climate. Her shoulders were bare of any cloth, the rich tan of her skin contrasting nicely against the dark navy of the top she was wearing. If that wasn’t daring enough, her entire mid-drift was exposed to the harsh elements. The only thing entirely covered on her was her legs as the pants she wore were, from what he recognized, Thavnairian fashion that ended in a small golden cuff about her ankles. 

“No problem, Mistress Teazer,” the driver called back, glaring down at the man still standing ankle-deep in snow. “A momentary diversion.”

The female Miqo’te tipped her head to the side, her cat-like eyes assessing him for a moment before she stepped out into the snow. “Apologies for my driver. I fear ‘tis my own doing. My orders were to stop for nothing and no one until we reached our destination,” she explained, her eyes gazing down at the sword he wore on his belt. “Normally these roads are barren of travelers, especially those foolish enough to go alone on foot. I was also unaware that the Crystal Braves sent someone this far north. Come,” she motioned to the open carriage door, “you must be freezing.”

_ Teazer. Where do I know that name? _ Jambert wondered as he allowed himself to be coaxed inside. To his surprise, the coachman had not been wrong when he had stated the carriage was full. To one side was a pair of Miqo’te twins, Keepers of the Moon judging from their pale complexion and fang indentions at their lips. The other side was a stranger sight still; an Au’Ra and a Lalafell, both dressed similarly as the woman that had invited him to join them. 

“Take a seat, good ser, and I shall join you,” the woman purred from behind. Unlike most transport carriages, this one did not have the customary seats to sit opposite each other. Rather, it was piled with ornate pillows and warm blankets. Even the walls of the compartment were plush and comfortable to lean against, he noted as he unhooked his belt to set the sword aside without hurting anyone. 

He had barely a moment to sit on the soft cushions and get comfortable before the Miqo’te planted herself in his open lap. 

“M-my lady,” Jambert blushed deeply and tried to scoot over so that she would have room beside him, but this only seemed to prompt her to wrap her arms around his neck. 

“Ser,” she purred seductively, the mint green of her eyes smoldering as she looked upon him. 

“Would you not be more comfortable sitting here?” he tried to move his sword out of the way but found it difficult to do anything with her sitting firmly upon his lap. 

Her midnight tail flicked lazily, the soft fur brushing against his hand as she smiled, “Actually, I find you quite comfortable. Unless you find me too heavy?”

Jambert shut his mouth. He wasn’t a bright man when it came to women, but he was smart enough to know that question was setting him up to be pushed out of the carriage and back into the snow. Scantily clad as she was, her slight body was warmer than a Coerthan winter and the carriage would make the trip in less than half the time it would have taken him on foot. 

“No, of course not. You’re perfect,” he replied and considered this wasn’t such an unfortunate turn of events. He could only imagine the look on Papapeso’s face when he returned to tell him that he had ridden in absolute luxury surrounded by beautiful women. 

“Mind telling us your name, soldier?” the moon twins asked, their light pink tails curled up at the tips as their blue eyes roved over him. 

Was it just his imagination, or were they  _ admiring _ him?

“Uh, Jambert. Jambert Storme of the Second Company. And you?”

Slender fingers curled under his chin, forcing him to look at the woman in his lap. She seemed almost disapproving, her tail lashing lightly behind her and eyes giving the pretty twins a glare before turning her attention to him. “The only name of import, is mine,” she said, nose just ilms from his face. 

Jambert swallowed, the bumping of the carriage wheels that caused her weight to shift enticingly upon his lap creating a bit of a problem. Any attempt to try and hide the new effect she had on him would only serve to bring his shame to light, but if she kept looking at him like that, it wouldn’t take long before she noticed. 

“And-and what is your name?” he stuttered, unable to focus on one thing or the other at the same time.

“Teazer,” she replied. “Though Mistress Teazer will suit you just fine.”

At once, the young Hyur went stiff in every sense of the word. The name rang a clear bell as to who he was in the presence of and what her particular profession was. Somehow, he now seemed inclined to  _ thank _ Papapeso for giving him this job. 

“Mistress Teazer? As in  _ the _ Mistress Teazer? Of Ul’dah?” His arms, which had been positioned on either side of him to maintain decency were now eager to circle her waist and press her closer. He couldn’t believe his luck. The woman with the most exclusive brothel in all of Ul’dah, perhaps all of Eorzea, was sitting in his lap and flirting with him.

She gave a delightful giggle and wiggled her hips against him, “I take it this pleases you, Ser Storme?”

Duty now long forgotten, Jambert gave a small, yet meaningful thrust of his hips. He was young. He was a soldier. He loved women. What was there to be ashamed of in that? “Very much so,” he grinned, fingers dancing against the exposed skin of her side. 

A cough from the other side of the carriage reminded him that it wasn’t just the Miqo’tes, but the other two strangers as well. He wanted to turn and get a better look at them, but Mistress Teazer was not eager to have his attention anywhere other than her. 

“Ignore them,” she whispered and pricked the tip of his nose with one long, manicured claw. “They are new and not yet accustomed to my particular habits.”

As much as he wanted to figure out what those particular habits were, being reminded that he had an audience seemed to douse the flames of desire. “Why are you heading to Camp Dragonhead?” he wondered, now realizing that it wasn’t just luck on his side, but a bloody miracle. Mistress Teazer, as far as he knew, did not leave her opulent estate within the city. To see her so far removed, especially when the city was still in grave disrepair after the night the Scions were discovered to have betrayed them all, now seemed suspicious.

“Do you think my work keeps me bound to Ul’dah?” she lifted a navy brow. “I am ever in search of new blood and new faces to entertain my clients, and I fear I am in short supply of Elezen these days.”

Jambert supposed that made sense, though he wasn’t sure why she didn’t just travel to Gridania where Elezen were in abundance. “And you go out to find these girls?”

“No one has a more discerning eye than I,” she purred, her hand moving to his chest. She popped one of the buttons to his uniform and just like that, the flames returned with interest. 

“And what would I owe to satisfy your particular habits?” he asked, his eyes trailing down her slender throat to her delectable collarbone. 

“Owe?” she scoffed and pointed to his sword. “Are you not a soldier?”

_ Great, so she thinks I can’t afford her, _ he frowned as his eyes finally reached her cleavage. He probably couldn’t, but there was no reason to tease him to madness and then crush his hopes. 

“I am.”

She smirked and popped another button, “And is this not a carriage of defenseless women?”

Jambert looked around, unable to deny that she was right. They weren’t dressed for Coerthas and there wasn’t a place on their person to hide a weapon. “It is.”

He thought he heard a scoff from the Au’Ra, but yet another button was freed from its moorings and immediately his attention was back on Mistress Teazer. 

“And is Coerthas not teeming with dragons and heretics that would sooner eat us or rape us than let us be?”

“I would sooner die than let them lay a hand on you,” he promised, being the fool of a horny man as he was. 

Mistress Teazer smiled and released one last button that opened up his chest for her. “Then consider your service as payment in full,” she whispered, nails dragging against his chest as she leaned in. His cock surged with pride as if he had truly done something worthy of earning the woman pressed against him, and she gave the smallest of moans. Oh, how he would love to elicit such sounds while buried deep within her sweet, soft -

The carriage came to a sudden halt and the sounds of people talking outside made him curse under his breath. She turned her head toward the door, her head tilted as she listened to the conversation. Without warning, she pushed herself off his lap and went to the door just in time for the driver to open it. 

“Mistress, we have arrived at Camp Dragonhead,” he announced, brow raised as he peeked behind her to see Jambert with his shirt wide open and cock standing at attention within his breeches. 

“Excellent! Do make sure to give the girls their worth in greens. I fear they won’t care for Coerthas much and I want them well rested before we move on,” she replied. 

R’figi offered her his arm, and she went to take it leaving Jambert in a frenzy. “Wait!” he called out as she stepped out into the snow. 

She turned to him, her midnight blue hair blowing across her soft face in the biting wind. “Is there a problem, Ser Storme?”

_ Is there a problem? _ He looked down at his lap and then back at her, “I thought my service was payment?”

Her minty eyes lit up and she pressed a hand to her head as if she had forgotten. “Oh, forgive me!” she shook her head and looked to R’figi apologetically before looking back to him. “I fear that Lord Haurchefant is expecting me right away. Would Zada or Nixu be a satisfactory replacement? Perhaps both?”

Jambert looked to the twins who seemed utterly thrilled with the idea. Even their cheeks were tinged pink with a blush from the show they had nearly witnessed. 

“We promise we don’t bite,” one of them said.

“At least, not unless you  _ want _ us to,” the other flicked her tail eagerly.

They weren’t Mistress Teazer, but two for the price of one? Jambert would have been an absolute fool to refuse. “I would have them both if that is agreeable?”

She nodded her head, her teeth now chattering, “Take good care of Ser Storme, my girls.  _ Very _ good care.”

Jambert was already being pulled backward by two pairs of eager hands and was soon far too preoccupied to notice the Lalafell and Au’Ra quickly and quietly exiting the cab. As far as he was concerned, this was his reward for having to take the bloody job in the first place. The lord could wait a bell or two until he had his fill.


	2. Coerthan Hospitality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Because, my dear,” Teazer purred, slowly circling her now, “It seems Eorzea is yet in need of you once again and I was the one that drew the short straw to deliver the message.”_

“You really ought to eat, Alphinaud. I promise ‘tis much better warm than chilled,” Carine ran the brush through his long, white locks, gently pulling out any tangles that had formed through the day. His sapphire eyes, once so brightly spirited, were dull and lined with dark circles from weeks of sleepless nights and restless days. She could see them in the reflection of the window across the room where sheets of white snow swirled and the wind howled. Had she not come in after her patrols and forced him near the fire to warm his limbs, he likely would have still been there until he could no longer hold open the heavy lids over his eyes.

When it was clear the lad had no interest in the broth she’d ordered from the kitchens, Carine sighed and placed the brush back on the end table next to her. Every day was a battle with him. He barely ate, rarely spoke, and seemed content to watch the world pass slowly all around him. Not that he could be blamed, really. She imagined having the Crystal Blades turn on him felt much the same as it did to have all of Eorzea turn its back on her and the rest of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. From vaunted heroes to treasonous villains, all in the blink of an eye and the turn of a coin…

She shook her head, the feeling of tears closing her throat. Alphinaud was at least getting up and moving about the room rather than lay in his bed or stare out the window the whole day. He was even tolerating her brushing and braiding his hair every morning and evening. There was no way of knowing what progress they’d made that would be lost if he were to witness her break now. He was barely holding on as it was, the sleeping shirt on his back wrinkled and stained from a week’s worth of wear. 

Carine stood up, and like her mother had done for her after the sudden loss of her father, she rummaged through his dresser to find something clean for him to wear. She folded the clothes at the edge of the bed, an offering he didn’t have to take if he wasn’t ready to, and then went to place her hand on his shoulder. 

“I’ll be back later to check on you,” she whispered, giving him a gentle pat before leaving the room. With any luck, she would return to the bowl empty and his dirty clothes piled on the floor for her to collect. 

It was difficult to know what to do in situations like this. On one hand, Carine wanted nothing more than to grab the boy by his shoulders and shake him until he snapped out of it. On the other, she didn’t want to push him so hard he would retreat further from her. She tried to remember everything her mother had done for her when she suffered melancholy after losing her father, but all she seemed able to remember was her constant presence and never ending support. 

She wished now, more than ever, that her mother were here to guide her. Alphinaud needed Elaine. Hells, she needed Elaine. 

Carine had barely closed the door and wiped the moisture from her eyes at the thought of her mother when she was approached by one of the Fortemps knights. 

“My lady,” he saluted. “Lord Haurchefant has sent me to inform you we have a guest within the walls.”

She frowned. He hadn’t told her he was expecting anyone. “Who is this guest?”

“A Crystal Brave, my lady. He wishes for you to remain out of sight until he has dealt with them.”

Her eyes widened at the news. She knew the Braves were getting, well,  _ braver, _ with each passing day. Just last week she’d seen three of them on the roads after a particularly nasty battle with the Dravanians. To her luck, she’d been wearing full Fortemps armor and wielding a sword and shield rather than her usual bow, so they hadn’t paid her any mind when they crossed paths. 

_ Thank the Twelve I’m an Elezen in Coerthas. _

“Thank you for the warning,” she smiled and watched him return to his post. Naturally, she had no intention of remaining out of sight, at least not how the knight assumed she should. If Haurchefant truly wished for her to stay hidden, he never would have sent anyone to tell her about their visitor which could only mean he wished for her presence immediately.

Alphinaud’s room was not far from Haurchefant’s, so it took but a moment to slip in and change into the armor she’d been wearing earlier that day on her patrols. As much as she hated the weight and the damned helmet atop her head, it was required if she wished to be hidden in plain sight. A few adjustments made by one of the servants passing in the hall, and she was ready to attend this meeting.

Carine found them in the great hall on the main floor. Lord Haurchefant was sitting in his grand chair before the war table, leaned forward intently in his seat as he watched the Crystal Brave make his way toward him. Knights lined the walls, their callous eyes watching his every step while their hands rested meaningfully upon the hilts of their swords. Even Haurchefant himself seemed cold and calculating from where she stood.

“You appear to be lost, my friend,” Haurchefant said once the Brave took his place from across the table. 

“Lord Haurchefant,” the Brave bowed. “I am Brave Sergeant First Class Jambert Storme of the Second Division sent here by Chief Brave Sergeant Papapeso Peso.”

Haurchefant narrowed his eyes. “And why would he send you all this way? I do not recall having any contact with the Crystal Braves, nor anyone to arrange this meeting.”

“Just a formality, my lord,” Jambert bowed again. Carine noticed, this time, the buttons on his uniform were not quite lined up as they should have been. It was as if the man had dressed himself in a hurry and forgotten a simple mooring to his jacket. “You have not responded to the inquiries made by Captain Ilberd of the First Division, nor have you sent correspondence to the Elder Seedseer Kan-E-Senna and Admiral Bloefhiswyn in regards to the fugitives of Eorzea.”

“Ah yes. I’ve received their missives, but as you can see by this table before you, me and my people are currently at war. My concern is keeping my people safe, not whatever squabbles you have in Eorzea,” Haurchefant replied with a frown.

Jambert was not pleased with this answer as he folded his arms across his chest. “Treason against Eorzea is not some  _ squabble, _ my lord. The Warrior of Light and Scions of the Seventh Dawn were caught in a plot to overthrow Ul’dah with the help of Garleans. They were found to have had direct contact with a Tribunis Laticlavius of the XIVth legion, one that had previously been presumed deceased,” he argued. 

Was  _ that _ how they were spinning their tales further south? She knew she was a wanted woman, that was about all she knew about what was happening in Eorzea, but this was excessive. While there was some truth to what he said, it was so far skewed it might as well have been a lie. Either way, he seemed thoroughly convinced she was guilty which made him dangerous if he were to lay eyes upon her. 

“Yes, and if I recall, it was also stated that the Scions of the Seventh Dawn were plotting with Ishgard to take over Eorzea,” Haurchefant replied bitterly. “If we were but another one of their instruments, what makes you think I would be willing to assist you?”

“To prove your innocence in the matter, my lord,” Jambert bowed again. “It is well known that your family sent supplies to Mor Dhona to assist the Scions and the Doman refugees. It is also well known you had personal contact with most, if not all of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn and,  _ ahem, _ a rather intimate relationship with the Warrior of Light. If rumor is to be believed, of course.”

Carine immediately felt her cheeks warm at the implication. How had they discovered  _ that? _ She supposed someone might have known about their trip to Costa del Sol, or maybe seen them there for the few days they were able to get away, but she couldn’t recall seeing anyone and she knew she hadn’t told anyone. The Scions knew, but aside from them?

The Elezen lord and his faithful knights weren’t swayed by the man’s affront. If anything, he looked amused as he leaned forward. “If the rumors are to be believed,  _ ser, _ then you will understand my hesitation in assisting your company in any matter.”

The Brave met his eyes with a puzzled expression, “I don’t believe I follow, my lord?”

“As I stated before, Ishgard was rumored to have been in on the conspiracy with the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. If we are basing our speculations upon hearsay, then you should know this was a fool’s errand given to a low ranking soldier to claim the Crystal Braves are doing everything within their power to find the Warrior of Light and whoever else might’ve escaped that evening,” Haurchefant stood to his feet and leaned over the table. “I apologize you were sent all this way for naught, but until proper respect has been paid by sending leaders to converse with our own, I fear you will not find the answers you seek. Not from me and not from Ishgard proper.”

That should have been a clear enough answer to whatever other questions were weighing in on the man’s mind, but from the change of color in his face and the bewilderment in his eyes, it was plain to see he wasn’t going to take no as an answer.

“You can keep trying to hide her, my lord,” Jambert spat, hands pushing aside the carefully placed flags on the war table until they fell to the side or clattered to the floor. “The longer you keep her and that boy hidden within your hold, the worse it looks for you and all of Ishgard.”

“Is that a threat, Ser Storme?” Haurchefant’s blue eyes narrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line as he glared back at the man. 

It should have been enough to intimidate the man. Haurchefant was not known for a short temper, or any sort of temper at all. One of the first things she’d learned about the Elezen lord was that he was kind and generous to all that graced his hearth, even to those that were outsiders. To have him frown at anyone, was woefully out of character and should have been a red flag to stop while ahead. 

Apparently their guest did not seem to agree.

“No. A simple warning,” Jambert straightened his shoulders and smoothed out his lopsided coat with a quick flick of his wrists. “Remember that when next she warms your bed.”

When it was clear he’d hit a nerve at the way Haurchefant’s lip quivered, the Crystal Brave smiled in triumph. Again, he fruitlessly attempted to set his jacket straight before bowing and turning on his heel to leave the main hall, all eyes now glaring daggers into his back at his audacity.

Haurchefant allowed the man to get over halfway across the hall before calling out to him, “Ser Storme?”

“Yes, my lord?” Jambert turned, a pompous grin still spread across his face. He seemed eager to pick a fight for reasons unknown to Carine. The man was outnumbered and outmatched and too far away from the comfort of his brothers in arms to assist him should he get into trouble, yet his confidence never wavered.

Haurchefant pulled at the cuffs of his armor, eyes glancing down as he did so with disinterest, “I do hope you packed warmly. ‘Tis a long walk home and there’s a blizzard howling at my door.” 

With a nod of his head, the knights of House Fortemps closest to the Crystal Brave swarmed him, grabbing his arms and preventing him from reaching the sword at his side. Clearly, this was not the response he was expecting as his eyes went wide with shock and he began shouting. 

“What sort of treatment is this?” he demanded, voice going shrill as the knights holding him began making their way to the doors at the far side of the room. “Is this how you treat your guests?”

“Word to the wise,” Haurchefant bent to retrieve one of the markers that had fallen from the table, “Assure your status as a guest before pointing a finger and offending your would-be host. I needn’t remind you, this is not Eorzea. We Coerthans are not known for our  _ warm _ hospitality.”

Carine watched as the man was tossed out into the howling wind and flurry of snow, waiting until the main door was locked by the knights before taking off her helm. Haurchefant was whispering to another knight when she approached. Despite his voice being low and hushed, she could hear enough to know that the stupidly bold Brave wouldn’t be left to his own devices in the blizzard, but that a warm bed would be saved for him if he chose to visit the inn. 

“He was bluffing, you know,” she said, setting her helmet down on the table so she could help pick up the markers that had fallen to the floor. 

“And I thought I told you to stay out of sight?” he quipped back, a smirk curling at his lips as he pulled her in for a gentle embrace.

“Sometimes ‘tis better to hide in plain sight.” She gave him a chaste kiss on his cheek, well aware everyone was still in the main hall with their eyes upon them with interest. Their lord and the Warrior of Light involved with one another was quite the delicious scandal and one of the only interesting things they had to gossip about since her arrival a month ago.

It didn’t help that Haurchefant had absolutely no interest in keeping his feelings for her a secret.

“Well, glad am I you’re here then. There is another matter that is in urgent need of your attention,” he said, tone growing more serious as he ushered her toward one of the side doors.

He led her through the kitchens without another word or even a second glance which suggested this was no plot in getting her alone in an empty hall to do whatever his imagination dreamed up this time with her. When he approached one of the doors she knew led outside, and not just because it was rattling and shaking with the increasing wind, she began to shiver and wish she’d brought her cloak.

“Is aught amiss?” Carine asked, folding her hands over her chest and rubbing at her arms to preserve the warmth she still had under the armor. It was of no use, Coerthan blizzards were cold enough to chill even the most veteran of soldiers to the bone. Her teeth began to rattle before he even stepped out into the snow and offered her a hand.

“I do not believe so, no.”

Well  _ that _ wasn’t comforting to hear.

She tried to imagine what was so important they had to go to the intermissory in the middle of a godsdamned blizzard, but was drawing a blank. Dravanian attacks had decreased since their loss at the Steps of Faith, so that wasn’t the likely case and Aymeric was back in Ishgard doing his part to keep the Temple Knights working to fix the bridge. He wasn’t due for a visit anytime soon unless…

Carine was now feeling very warm as her heart rate increased at the possibility it wasn’t Aymeric or Lord Drillemont waiting for her, but the possibility of Count Edmont de Fortemps himself. Haurchefant had been corresponding with his father in regards to having Carine and Alphinaud stay with him within his manor in Ishgard, but had unfortunately been meeting resistance. His presence would explain the sudden formality in Haurchefant as well as the need for the intermissory for them to speak in private. 

Only it wasn’t the face of his father she found as she followed the Elezen lord into the room. In fact, the face staring back at her from the table was a face she’d long pushed aside in hoping to see ever again, much less this soon. 

“Yugiri?” She whispered as if saying it too loudly would blow the image of the Doman Au’Ra out of the room. 

“Carine!” 

This voice wasn’t from the silent and observant woman Carine first laid eyes upon, but from the smaller form at her side now rushing with open arms in her direction. She’d barely comprehended seeing Yugiri there in the room, so feeling the crushing embrace of Tataru against her leg made everything much more real, much more solid. 

“Thank the Twelve you’re safe!” Tataru squeezed harder, seemingly not caring that the Elezen towering over her was in a state of shock. “I thought I’d never see you again!”

“I-I don’t understand?” Carine looked back up to Yugiri who was smiling softly in the glow of the fireplace and then back to Haurchefant who was grinning from ear to pointed ear. “How?”

“There is much we must tell you, my friend,” Yugiri bowed. “Much has happened since the banquet and I fear there is yet work yet to be done.” She looked around, brow pinched as if puzzled. “Where is Master Alphinaud?”

“I fear there is much I must tell you as well,” Carine shook her head and sighed. She would need to check on him again before long and make sure he’d eaten and changed his clothes. There was also the matter of brushing his hair again to keep it from getting too tangled, but she didn’t wish for their friends to see him in such a state just yet. “But first, how were you able to come here? I was informed that the borders are now covered with Braves looking for men and anyone associated with the Scions of the Seventh Dawn?”

“You’ll have me to thank for that,” a new voice sounded, one unfamiliar to the Warrior of Light. Instinctively, Carine pushed Tataru behind her and put her hand on the hilt of her blade, eyes narrowing. From the shadows on the far side of the room emerged a Miqo’te woman dressed in a fashion not at all suited for Coerthan weather and wearing a smile that suggested that despite that, she was quite comfortable.

“And you are?”

The Miqo’te stepped closer into the light, her hips swaying with each sultry step she took until her fingers danced along the rim of one of the goblets sitting on the table, “You may call me Mistress Teazer.”

The name was familiar, but Carine couldn’t recall where she’d heard it before. “While I should thank you for delivering my friends to me, I have a wonder as to why you’re here?”

“Because, my dear,” Teazer purred, slowly circling her now, “It seems Eorzea is yet in need of you once again and I was the one that drew the short straw to deliver the message.”


	3. Rumor Has It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“There she is! I’ll admit, you had me fooled for a moment. I thought surely the time you’d spent wrapped in your lover’s arms had tamed you, but I see it now. That fire. That rage. Good to see it hasn’t burned out. We have need of it.”_

Everything about this woman screamed this was a trap. She was far too comfortable walking her circles around the Warrior of Light, her eyes never once faltering every time they met hers. Even her perfume, some heady blend of spices and floral scents, seemed to cling to Carine with each pass, weighing her down and suffocating her. 

“To my understanding, Eorzea has but one wish, and that’s to see me in chains,” she replied, fingers still resting firmly on her sword. There didn’t seem to be many places for Teazer to hide a weapon on her person, not when most of her skin was on blatant display, but she wasn’t going to take any chances.

“Yes, and if I had my way, that would be the reason I came,” Teazer rolled her eyes and departed, taking a seat at the head of the table as if that were where she belonged. “Alas, it seems an esteemed colleague of mine wishes for you to come to Vesper Bay at once. I brought your friends here as a token of good faith.”

Carine turned to Yugiri, who seemed to be eyeing the woman with distaste and distrust, “Is this true?”

“Do not presume we were their captives,” the Au’Ra shook her head. “We came willingly. You wouldn’t have trusted her otherwise.”

Yugiri was right. One look at Teazer told Carine everything she needed to know about her, and it all said she wasn’t someone to trifle with. Her relaxed demeanor, seductive smile, and clever eyes suggested she was someone of some import and someone that knew far more about everything than everyone else. That, and her acknowledgement that she also did not trust the Warrior of Light, was enough to keep Carine wary for now.

With a deep breath, she closed her eyes. Fighting with her wasn’t going to win her any favors. If anything, it seemed it would only play into her hands. “I’m well aware I’ve made a mess of things,” she said, lifting her eyes to look into the Miqo’te’s with all the sincerity she could muster, “but I assure you that it was not my intention and that if there is anything I can do to set it right, I would without hesitation.”

For the briefest of moments, Teazer appeared almost surprised by her response. The look was gone in an instant, but Carine hadn’t missed the moment of doubt on her fair features before contempt replaced it once again. 

“That remains to be seen.”

_ I’ve lived with worse than you, _ Carine thought to herself before turning her attention and energy toward her friends. Haurchefant clearly had known of their arrival long before her appearance in the main hall because the fireplace was well tended and there were mugs of half finished hot cocoa and goblets of red wine sitting on the table as well as what appeared to be a hearty meal. 

“I trust you have news on everything happening in Eorzea?” she asked, offering Yugiri and Tataru a smile as she motioned for them to take a seat. She wished Alphinaud were feeling up to joining them, his input would have been greatly appreciated on anything she would learn. Mayhap in the morning after everyone was rested…

“Ahem,” Teazer coughed, the sound grating against her nerves. “As much as I would  _ love _ to witness such a sweet reunion between friends, I feel it important that we move with haste.”

Given the confused looks on both Yugiri and Tataru’s faces, it seemed this was not what they’d expected either. 

“I beg your pardon?” Even Haurchefant was taken aback.

Teazer moved closer, wine goblet in hand, before resting her hip against the table and giving everyone a pointed stare. “I was sent here to collect the Warrior of Light. Here she is in all her glory,” she stated as if checking off a box in her mind. “While I arranged to stay here for a night or two, there has been a new development that was brought to my attention very recently. A development I must report on at once, if what was discovered is true.”

Carine scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. Who did this woman think she was? She didn’t know her from manners and already she seemed to be under the impression that Carine was some sort of cargo that she needed to deliver. 

“Unless you plan on telling me who sent you here and what their plans are with me, I’m not going anywhere with you,” she said through gritted teeth.

This could have very well been a trap. Carine had more than a handful of enemies now, even those she’d considered friends. Given the harsh words and pointed glares made in her direction from the Miqo’te, she didn’t believe she would find a good many friends in Eorzea willing to cover her back and help her escape if things were to not work in her favor. Lacking in the Blessing of Light was yet another kink she needed to work out before trusting the first person to successfully breach Haurchefant’s colder hospitality. 

Teazer sighed and picked at her nails with the tiniest of huffs. “Interesting. They said you would say that. Seems I owe them a drink and a night on the house,” she chuckled, amused at herself. “It all makes sense now as to why they had me pay your mother a visit.”

It took only an instant. Only an instant and Carine was across the table with a dagger placed against the soft throat of the Miqo’te. A shrill ringing in her ears from the blood rushing through her veins was all she could hear and red was all she could see at the mention of her mother.

“I will only ask you this once. Where. Is. My. Mother?” She accented each word with a firm press of her blade, making sure there would be no misunderstanding. Yugiri was also poised with her own weapons in hand while Tataru cowered under the table and Haurchefant shouted something Carine didn’t hear from behind her.

Then, despite the rage in the Warrior of Light’s eyes or the precarious predicament she was in, Teazer  _ smiled. _

“There she is!” The words were not at all filled with fear or trepidation. They were smooth, controlled, almost cheerful. “I was told you had a temper that matched Ifrit’s flames and here it is!” She glanced up at Carine now, almost as if in admiration. “I’ll admit, you had me fooled for a moment. I thought surely the time you’d spent wrapped in your lover’s arms had tamed you, but I see it now. That fire. That  _ rage. _ Good to see it hasn’t burned out. We have need of it.”

Carine was at a loss. This woman held absolutely no fear toward her and though her life was pulsing beneath the sharp press of a dagger at her throat, she was just as calm and collected as she’d been when she first introduced herself. It was mind boggling. 

“I swear to all Twelve gods and Hydaelyn herself if you are a fucking Ascian or working with them -” she bit her tongue. What would she do? Kill her and potentially lose her mother in the process? No. She needed to be smarter than that, wiser. Killing wasn’t an option, but Teazer was yet outmatched. She had no friends here, not in this room. It would be a simple matter to keep her locked up until she could get the information from her that she needed…

“Oh please,” Teazer rolled her eyes and dared to placed her hand on Carine’s wrist to lower the weapon. “Paranoid much, are we? I suppose that is to be expected, but I can assure you, I’ve no dealings with the Ascians. At least, none to my knowledge.”

“And your esteemed colleague?” Yugiri asked. 

“Someone you’ve both been acquainted with,” Teazer smiled wider with every ilm the blade slipped from her flesh. “And someone whose interest lies in keeping Ul’dah a prosperous  _ free _ nation. Does that seem like something an Ascian would do?”

Carine narrowed her eyes. A lot of what Zodiark’s followers did made little sense to her. Chaos seemed to be their only intention considering Lahabrea’s association with the Garleans and Nabriales’ kidnapping of Minfilia. Truth be told, she knew very little of their plot in the grand scheme of things or what they were truly after. From what little she could recall from her talk with Elidibus, their supposed leader, they all seemed to have a different idea as to how to execute it. It wasn’t out of the question they could want control of Ul’dah, but they would have likely been pulling the strings to Teledji than whoever Teazer was working for.

“Now then,” the Miqo’te pushed the blade further away until she could put a safe distance between her and the Warrior of Light. “As I was saying, my friend and compatriot knew to control you and your actions, we would have a need of your mother,” she said, brushing her choppy dark hair from her eyes. “I was sent to retrieve her in the event we would need your assistance. Lovely woman, Elaine is. An absolute treasure-”

“Keep talking about her, and I will remove your tongue from your mouth,” Carine warned, jaw trembling with barely tempered rage. “Where is she? What have you done with her?”

“I’ve a mind to remove it myself,” Haurchefant added, closer now than before. “‘Tis best you tell us true.”

“Besides keep her safe from the Crystal Braves?” Teazer raised a brow. “She’s at my estate in Ul’dah. The Pleasure Palace. I’m sure you’ve heard of it,” she went on. 

It was then it clicked, and the rage that had instantly consumed her was soon boiling beneath the surface once again. “You took my mother to a  _ brothel?” _

The Pleasure Palace was one of those places in Ul’dah that everyone knew about, but few people spoke its name. With sex trafficking still a rather large issue in Eorzea, the brothel left a bad taste on anyone’s tongue. Not that it kept anyone from visiting. Foreign dignitaries, Syndicate members as well as Monetarists were all well known to frequent the establishment. Hells, Carine had seen several well off merchants there the one time she popped in on a dare made by her sister when they’d visited what seemed like a lifetime ago.

And none of that even touched on the woman than owned it. Mistress Teazer was not only known as one of the most successful business owners in Ul’dah, but she was also rumored to be a mistress of secrets. From what Carine knew based on what little she listened to some years ago before the Garlean take-over, Teazer knew everything about everyone of import and even those that were of no consequence and thus had just as much a hand in controlling the way the Syndicate ruled over Ul’dah despite not being a member. 

It was of little wonder she seemed so confident and self assured. 

“Yes. It was rather genius on my part, actually,” Teazer smirked, glad to have the upper hand once again. “The last place anyone would expect a respected Gridanian seamstress to be would be in the heart of Ul’dah in its most prestigious brothel. A wonderful idea too, as I gained a seamstress to assist in fixing any costumes ruined in the midst of passion.”

Carine winced at the thought of her mother being forced to work for such a woman. Elaine Monteil had grown up a noblewoman of Ishgard, for gods sake! She couldn’t imagine the moral turmoil that must be going through her mother’s mind at her every waking moment, not to mention the things she’d seen or heard…

“Oh, don’t make that face,” Teazer frowned. “Your mother offered to help and has been paid quite handsomely. As I said before, she’s an absolute treasure.”

“One you stole from her home as a means to use against me,” Carine argued.

She shrugged, “Well of course. It started as me being paid to ensure that she remained safeguarded at all costs, but if the money were to stop flowing in her interest, I still wouldn’t allow harm to come to her. My pets adore her beyond reason, and she’s become very dear to me as well.”

This sounded almost sincere, enough so that Yugiri lowered her weapons and looked to Carine now for guidance. She cursed herself, turning over what felt like a million different options in her mind at once. On the one hand, what Teazer was saying seemed very much like her mother. Elaine had even had Nero on her side, or seemed to, back when she’d introduced them just the once. It was impossible to take her anywhere without her making friends. On the other hand, Carine wasn’t sure she could trust this woman. It all could be an elaborate scheme to get her to comply with whatever demands she and her colleague wanted of her. 

She bowed her head. There were risks, but she decided the potential reward outweighed each and every one of them.

“If I discover you are lying about her, I will not hesitate to kill you. You have my word,” she said with a shaky breath. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal clear, my dear,” Teazer smiled again. Her gaze felt like ichor oozing over the Elezen’s skin, but at least they seemed to be at some sort of understanding.

Tataru poked her head out, the feather on her red cap swishing this way and that as she looked between everyone and sighed with relief. Yugiri, however, still seemed troubled as she stared at the Miqo’te with suspicion. 

“What is this new development? Where did you learn of this information?” the Au’Ra asked with a tilt of her head. 

“As you well know,” Teazer motioned to Tataru and Yugiri, “Raubahn was imprisoned for killing Teledji and has since then been awaiting trial. With all that is going on in Ul’dah lately, everyone presumed it would take months before he was to testify and, according to extremely reliable sources, it was assumed he would be released to take his role as Immortal Flame General once again.”

This was news to Carine. She knew he’d slain Teledji. She’d witnessed it with her own eyes when the Lalafell had thought himself safe and above any harm or accusation, and she’d been glad he was dead. After that, everything was a blur and all that had followed since then was unbeknownst to her considering her recent exile. 

“However, it seems that Captain Ilberd of the Crystal Braves has other plans,” the Miqo’te went on with a shake of her head. “The man was positively  _ mad. _ I knew eventually he would go his own way, but even I couldn’t have foreseen he would take our general with him to execute the man himself.”

Carine blinked, eyes growing wide as the words turned into meaning. “Ilberd has taken Raubahn? To execute him? How would you possibly know this?”

Teazer smirked, eyes half lidded now as she looked toward the Warrior of Light, “My business is knowledge and secrets, my dear. All of my pets are excellent at getting any information they want and that Brave our dear lord Haurchefant sent away earlier sang like a bird at their bidding.”

_ That explains the poor dress code, _ Carine considered, but then shook her head. The blizzard was likely to continue until morning and mayhap further into the next day before it would die down enough they could brave the roads. She knew well enough after a month of living here, the snow storms were unforgiving even to those that knew them well. Not even Haurchefant would brave this blizzard, nor would he knowingly send her or anyone else out into one. 

“While I agree this matter is urgent, the weather has a mind of its own,” Carine sighed.  _ And there is the matter of getting Alphinaud up and eager to go as well… _

“I second this concern,” Haurchefant added. “It would be best to at least wait until morning. Allow your Chocobos and yourself to rest. Fearsome and relentless as these storms may be, we should see clear skies sometime mid morning on the morrow.”

Outvoted, Teazer had no choice but to give in to their demands. Not that she had a foot to stand on when it came to these matters. Being a woman of Thanalan, she knew nothing of what Coerthan weather was like and fearless as she may be, she seemed to have some sense as she nodded her head. 

“Very well then. Rest up tonight and say your goodbyes for now. Tomorrow, we ride for Vesper Bay.” She looked at Tataru, Yugiri, and then Carine. “As it will be a long journey, I trust you will let them rest this evening and allow them to fill you in on everything else you’ve missed while you’ve been playing house, yes?”

The contempt was back, and Carine hated her all the more for it.  _ She knows nothing, _ she told herself as she bit her tongue and nodded.  _ It’s not like I’ve been fighting dragons almost daily or keeping my word to help these people in the hopes that one day, if an alliance were to be discussed again, they might remember who helped them. Oh no. I’ve just been sleeping with Haurchefant and pretending nothing bad has happened… _

It would be no use to argue with her, however, so Carine did the only thing she could do. Follow her orders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Teazer is based off my original main character that I made for FFXIV like...5 years ago. She's been used in some roleplays where this aloof attitude emerged. She does have a rather detailed past involving the sex trafficking that seems to be all over Eorzea, but most of that will not be revealed in this fic, or even this series. Despite her attitude, I adore her to bits and couldn't help myself but include her in my writing, even if only for a little while <3


	4. The First Cut is the Deepest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Then I’ll give them hell,” she chuckled despite the fear that clung in her throat at the thought. “I may not have the Blessing anymore, but I still have the Echo and no matter how many Blades or Braves they throw at me, I’m still more highly skilled than the lot of them. I won’t be taken by surprise. Not again.”_

“It looks like we need a backup plan,” Teazer grumbled from her perch on the window sill in the main hall. The blizzard that started the day before was going strong, the wind still howling even now at midday with no sign of letting up anytime soon. 

Carine wasn’t in nearly as big a hurry as the Miqo’te. Though she’d had every intent on following her orders the night before, Yugiri and Tataru had insisted upon staying up late and discussing all that had happened in the wake of the banquet. Though the news they told her offered little comfort, Carine was glad to have been able to discuss things at length with them without Teazer poking her nose in business that wasn’t her own.

“Well, I am all ears for any suggestions you may have,” Carine drawled, picking at her nails. At the very least, she was grateful she didn’t have to dress like a harlot for the ride back to Thanalan. Though she had become accustomed to the bitter cold of Coerthas, that didn’t mean she had come to like it enough to expose her skin on all manner of occasions. Even now with the wind beating at the doors and screeching through the windows, she felt the chill down to her bones and shivered.

“Though we should wait for clear weather, I fear General Raubahn may not have the time,” Yugiri said. 

“I think I may know of another option,” Tataru chimed in. She’d been mostly quiet since Carine informed her of Alphinaud’s state of mind, so it was surprising to hear her voice. “Though it is considerably more risky than riding along with Mistress Teazer.”

Risky or not, Carine knew they didn’t have much time. Apparently the Crystal Brave didn’t know where Raubahn had been taken. Not knowing where he had been taken or how long he would be held before being put out of his misery meant they did not have days to spare to try and save him. 

“Go ahead, Tataru. Anything is better than waiting for the storm to pass.”

The Lalafell gritted her teeth and gave a pained grin as she stood up on her stool so everyone could get a good look upon her. “What if you were to travel the aether currents and materialize in Limsa Lominsa?”

Carine had a lot of respect for Tataru. She really did. The woman was a saint and always cheerful besides. But in this moment, Carine could only think the cold had frozen this woman’s brain cells and rendered her incompetent. 

“With all due respect-” she began, trying to think of anything to say that would lessen the blow of how she truly felt about that idea before she was interrupted by Teazer. 

“Actually, that’s a wonderful idea!” the Miqo’te nodded enthusiastically. Carine would have thought the woman in favor of the idea just to get her arrested on the spot were it not for everything she had said the night before. “It may even be better than traveling by coach.”

“Let’s not be hasty,” Carine held up her hands. “We cannot forget that it is my face plastered everywhere. They are going to be looking for me and they will most  _ certainly _ have the aetheryte plazas crawling with guards.”

It was for that reason alone Haurchefant had talked Carine out of going in search of her mother that fateful eve. She knew she would be swarmed the moment she materialized anywhere outside of Coerthas whether it be by soldiers or citizens alike. There had been enough people at that bloody banquet to spread word of their hero’s betrayal and word of mouth was only going to stretch the already thin truth into something outlandish and impossible the further it traveled.

“But of course,” Teazer nodded. “But, I still must side with Tataru. Limsa Lominsa supports the busiest plaza in all of Eorzea. The aetheryte is conveniently located right next to the markets with a myriad of ways to get to it,” she explained. “It would be a simple matter of you getting caught in the crowd, just another face amongst faces. Not to mention the port. There will be ships ready to sail, some of them toward Vesper Bay. It would be the quickest, most efficient route. I daresay, Tataru might be the most clever of us all.”

“Though you may not wish to hear it, even I must agree with Tataru,” Yugiri said, surprising Carine most of all. The Au’Ra was usually all cloak and dagger, anything to hide away as was the Shinobi way. Her support, out of everyone’s, was strangest of all.

The Lalafell beamed with pride, cheeks blushing at the praise. She muttered something about it not being all  _ that _ clever while Carine pondered. Limsa Lominsa had always been her least favorite city to travel to with her mother and sister back when they were but simple merchants. Sure, it was a lovely city of soapstone and crystal waters, but, as Teazer had stated, it was constantly bustling with people and crowds. The marketplace was sometimes so thick with bodies, it was difficult to move. She couldn’t even count the number of times she’d accidentally materialized where someone else was standing and knocked them over.

Crazy an idea as it was, it just might work.

“Let’s say I seriously consider this plot of yours,” Carine steepled her fingers and looked upon her audience through narrowed eyes, “what is to keep people from recognizing me? And how am I to convince a captain to let me aboard his ship? I don’t have enough money to bribe anyone.” 

“Simple. We give your hair a cut and color it anything. You would be amazed at just how little you have to change about yourself to appear as someone else,” Teazer shrugged.

“Okay, if ‘tis that simple, why not just materialize in Horizon?” The hamlet in Thanalan was closer to Vesper Bay than going to La Noscea and traveling by ship.

“Unfortunately, Thanalan is on high alert for you,” Teazer said. “They’ve arrested a good many Elezen on the fact they are Elezen alone and questioned them. Traveling there is likely to create a stir. One big enough to have the Immortal Flames move in to find you. My client would like to avoid such an altercation.”

“Okay, fair point. But do I  _ really _ have to cut and dye my hair?” Carine pouted. She loved her long hair even if she had to braid it all the time to keep it out of the way in battle. So what if the reason it was long was because she was too busy to keep it trimmed regularly? She got around to it eventually. Even so, she had come to grow fond of the wavy locks of silvery-white. Chopping them off and staining them some other color seemed a disservice.

“I suppose not, but wouldn’t you want your best chance at traveling across Eorzea without someone recognizing you?” Teazer twitched her tail and ‘tsked. “Hair grows back and a good stylist can set it back to the right color with no issue.”

The Warrior of Light groaned and closed her eyes. She was right and the more she fought against having to cut her hair, the less time they had in finding Raubahn. “Fine. What color should I go with? Blonde? Brunette? Some pastel something?”

Tataru crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side. “Actually, I was thinking you would make a lovely auburn. Your skin, while fair, still has some golden tones to it which would complement the red tones. Add a hint of honey to the highlights, and I think it would be just right.”

“Oh, I do agree,” Teazer clapped her hands together. She sent off one of the Miqo’tes that traveled with her in search of an aesthetician set that she was certain they packed and began plotting different cuts and styles that would look good while Carine sank lower and lower in her seat.

***

Carine’s heart hammered in her chest, hands shook and eyes squeezed shut. Breaths came out short and rapid as she felt her hair pulled back into a low ponytail. It was irrational, she knew that. It was just  _ hair _ for gods sake! But, dammit, it was  _ her _ hair.

“Your hair is absolutely lovely,” R’figi complimented, fingers sliding through the silvery locks. “So soft, so shiny-” he got to the ends and frowned, no doubt finding them dead and split and broken from years of lack of care. 

“Matron’s teats, will you just cut it already?” she snapped, earning more than a few giggles from the audience behind her. 

If she were looking in the mirror, she would have seen the exchange of glances, but she was too focused on staying seated and not making a run for it. She jumped as she felt the hair pulled again, winced as she heard the metallic scrap of the scissors open, and let a tear fall as she felt them snip through her hair. 

She felt the weight fall from her head before she peeked through her lashes to see R’figi holding the hair still in the hair tie. He was grinning proudly, showing the evidence of his crime to everyone watching; Tataru, Yugiri, Teazer, the Miqo’te twins, and whatever knight or servant that was passing by at that moment. 

It was enough to make her weep.

“There there, Warrior of Light,” Teazer crooned as she took the ponytail of hair and pulled it between her hands. “‘Tis just hair. ‘Twill grow back in time. And R’figi is a  _ master _ at hairstyling. He’ll have you sorted and lovely again in no time.”

She wanted to explain it wasn’t about being  _ lovely. _ Beauty or how Carine felt about it had absolutely nothing to do with her hair. If she cared enough about it, it wouldn’t have been damaged or split at the ends and she wouldn’t braid it every morning or every night just to keep it out of the way. No. This was her letting go of one thing,  _ one thing, _ that she had complete and total control over in her life. 

Carine didn’t look in the mirror. She didn’t want to watch as R’figi transformed her into someone she wasn’t supposed to recognize at a glance. Even when he proclaimed he had finished and she heard several murmurs of approval, she did not look up. 

“Can, can we just dye it now? Please?” she muttered. Might as well wait until the whole process was over before seeing the butchered result.

He went over to the box and began rummaging through it. When one minute turned to two and she could still hear the rummaging as well as a couple questions about where the dying kit may be, Carine began to worry. 

“Is something amiss?”

“Well,” Teazer sounded alarmed, but in the way that made the Elezen wonder if she was genuine. “It seems we did not pack a dye kit. No matter. I have plenty of glamour crystals we can use to change the color temporarily.”

“You. What?”

“Glamour crystals,” Teazer now beamed at her holding the crystals in hand. “Of course, that made the cut entirely unnecessary, but really, you were in need of a change.”

_ When Raubahn is safe and I have my mother, I swear to the Twelve I will make this woman watch as I burn her brothel to the ground, _ Carine thought icly as she glared with all the hatred she could muster at the grinning Miqo’te. 

When all was said and done, Carine hated the way she looked. The haircut, while well done, was far shorter than anything she’d ever had done in her entire life. She couldn’t remember a single time her mother had made her look like a pixie, yet here she was, deep auburn hair and all. It didn’t  _ look _ bad. In fact, she thought it looked okay, but it was everything that led to this new look that had her avoiding mirrors at every chance.

Haurchefant, who had unfortunately missed the show, arrived just as Carine pulled her bag over her shoulder to depart. She had hoped to see him at least once more before leaving, but reports of Dravanians on the outskirts of Ishgard warranted his attention first thing that morning and had kept him away in correspondence with other knights to devise a plan of attack or defense should it be necessary. 

When he first looked upon her, he had to stop and squint. “Carine? Fury, what have you done to your hair?”

_ Well, at least I know people won’t recognize me immediately, _ she thought to herself as she tucked a strand behind her ear. Or tried to. It was too bloody short to stay there on its own.

“‘Tis so I am not recognized the moment I arrive in Limsa Lominsa,” she grumbled, casting a stony gaze at Teazer. “But I was deceived.”

“Doesn’t she look so pretty?” Tataru smiled up as she toddled over to where they were standing, diffusing the anger growing with the simple gesture.

“The prettiest,” Haurchefant bent and kissed Carine’s knuckles. “And, pardon me, but did you just say you were going to arrive in Limsa Lominsa?”

He sounded as concerned about the plan as she felt. This was a bold move, one she desperately hoped no one accounted for so their plan could be set in motion. “Alas, I fear it so. The blizzard doesn’t seem to be waning and we all fear Raubahn does not have time on his side,” she told him. “I’ll be traveling to Limsa Lominsa alone so as not to attract too much attention while Yugiri will report to her Shinobi in Revenant’s Toll. Teazer will travel ahead to Vesper Bay to deliver the news as quickly as possible to her client while Tataru will stay here. The others will leave as soon as the blizzard has run its course.”

“And if you’re caught?”

“Then I’ll give them hell,” she chuckled despite the fear that clung in her throat at the thought. “I may not have the Blessing anymore, but I still have the Echo and no matter how many Blades or Braves they throw at me, I’m still more highly skilled than the lot of them. I won’t be taken by surprise. Not again.”

Everything that happened at that banquet was because she had been unarmed and disoriented with the assassination of Nanamo. Going to Limsa Lominsa while knowing she is a fugitive and being sought gave her a slight advantage. As long as Carine had  _ some _ advantage, she felt she could worm her way out of anything. If she could infiltrate Castrum Meridianum while she was a Bride to free the Scions, she could get her ass out of the port city.

“So long as you’re sure-” Haurchefant kissed the top of her head. 

“One last thing before I go,” she said, allowing him to hold her. She wasn’t quite ready to leave just yet knowing she wasn’t sure when she would see him again. “Take care of Alphinaud for me. Maybe with my absence he’ll-”

“I hope I’m not intruding.”

Her eyes widened and immediately she pulled herself from Haurchefant’s endearing embrace to see the very subject of her concern standing sheepishly to one side of the room dressed for travel. His clothes seemed clean and fresh, his cheeks pink with life and his hair well-kept. There were still traces of a haunting in his eyes, the shadow of despair she knew would cling to him for however long he allowed it, but the lad looked better.

_ Much _ better.

“Alphinaud?” Carine took a tentative step in his direction. “What are you doing here?”

The young Elezen looked between her and the group before his eyes settled on Haurchefant and said with conviction, “I’m reforging myself.”

Carine frowned, “You’re what?”

“Never you mind,” he waved her concern away and looked at Yugiri and Tataru. “My apologies for not welcoming your arrival last night. I was - not myself. Pray, forgive me.”

“It is good to see you again, Master Alphinaud,” Yugiri bowed in the eastern fashion while Tataru practically jumped in place. 

“Does this mean you are coming too?” the Lalafell asked.

“If there is room for one more on this mission,” he nodded. “Though I am afraid I may need to be debriefed. Haurchefant only told me so much.”

Carine looked to the man beside her, a quiet smile on his lips and eyes that beamed with pride as he looked at the young lordling. He must have spoken to him the night before, or mayhap sometime this morning. Whatever it was they talked about, it seemed to be exactly what Alphinaud needed to pull himself from the depths of melancholy and back on his feet. 

_ How lucky we are to have forged this friendship, _ she thought, smiling herself as she looked to Alphinaud. 

“You can come with me,” she offered. “Come, gather your things and I’ll explain along the way. And don’t forget that book of yours. I fear we may be in need of it before the day is through.”

“Of course,” he nodded and started in her direction. “Carine?”

“Yes?”

“What happened to your hair?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I wrote this chapter probably 20 different times in 20 different ways and ended up going on a whole new direction. With any luck, I'll be dishing more out very very soon!


	5. Allies in Hard Times

Arriving in Limsa Lominsa was nothing short of anti-climatic. Carine had expected there to be an excess of Yellow Jackets and Maelstrom soldiers, mayhap even a few Crystal Braves, yet upon her materialization in the aetheryte plaza there appeared to be no such thing. That wasn’t to say there weren’t guards at all, just no more than there would have been any other day. Her hair seemed to have done the trick because even in passing, they did not give her or Alphinaud, who’s hair was tucked under a cap, a second look.

“That was much easier than expected,” Alphinaud stated quietly as they both made their way into Hawker’s Alley.

_ Yes. Almost too easy, _ she thought, trying her best not to look around too much lest it draw attention to them. They had but to head for the docks and find a ship heading to Vesper Bay. Nothing too difficult, if one weren’t a fugitive.

The sights and sounds were as they always were. Bright and cheerful and overloud. Merchants advertised their wares and customers passed them their coin. It reminded Carine of simpler times. She could almost see her sister’s face lighting up as a man took notice of her carefully arranged bouquets because it reminded him of his wife or how she would instruct new gardeners how to care for their seeds. 

How long had it been since last she’d seen her face? Nearly two years, she’d wager, or close enough to it. To think she’d practically rekindled the war with Garlemald in an attempt to free her only to fail and now? Now she felt further from her goal and Violaine more than she’d ever. The Scions were lost and Eorzea had turned its back on her. How could she possibly find her now?

“Look at this,” Alphinaud pulled her toward a wall where posters were hanging. Most, if not all, were wanted posters featuring different pirates that plagued the shorelines of La Noscea and a few that were known traffickers, but there was a set off to the side that garnered all of her attention. 

Y’shtola, Papalymo, Yda, Thancred, Minfilia - the faces of each and every friend she had stared at her in near perfect sketches. Her throat tightened at the sight of them and it took all her strength to not reach forward and peel them from the wall and shred them so their pieces would scatter on the wind. 

“Do you know what this means?” Alphinaud seemed almost awed beside her.

Carine dared not hope. If they had wanted posters out for them, then logic would have it they did not perish that night at the banquet, but she couldn’t be sure. She  _ knew _ Papalymo and Yda stayed behind to fight too many Braves and Blades. She  _ knew _ the tunnel collapsed behind her and Minfilia where Y’shtola and Thancred had stayed to fend off the soldiers after them. She  _ knew _ Minfilia went back because of Hydaelyn’s orders, weaponless and without a friend. 

If they weren’t dead and they hadn’t retreated to Coerthas for safety, where  _ were _ they? And why hadn’t they sought Carine and Alphinaud out?

“Come. Let us go,” she said, gaze resting on her own wanted poster with a heavy heart. She was just about to back away and turn toward the docks when she felt something hard press into her back and felt a large figure looming behind her. 

“You have two options, lass,” a deep, gravelly voice rumbled in her ear sending a cold rush of fear down her spine as she recognized it immediately. “Come quietly with me, or run. If you run, I’ll put a bullet in yer back. Savvy?”

_ Shit! _ They had not been here for even a full half bell and had already been discovered. How they had been discovered, Carine hadn’t a clue. No one else around them seemed to recognize her or Alphinaud at a glance, not even around their portraits, so how the Grand Storm Marshal had found them seemed a near miracle. 

Unless…

_ That bloody Miqo’te. _

Carine nodded in time with Alphinaud. There was little else they could do, though the thought of stealing the Grand Marshal’s weapon and using it against him crossed her mind on more than one occasion as he guided them back toward the plaza. At the very least, no one seemed to see what was going on, or be alerted to the fact the Warrior of Light and one of the missing Scions had just been captured. 

They were taken to the Bridge, as Carine suspected they would be. Accused criminals of their standing would need to be addressed by the Admiral herself rather than to rot in a prison. No, that would certainly come later but only after they were made an example of. The thought of what might become of them sat heavily on her stomach as they were pushed through the doors.

Merlwyb stood at her desk, hands clasped behind her back as she looked out the window to the north of the room. Her weapons, the machinist arms she kept at her side, were sitting upon her desk and readily in arm’s reach. Even if Carine were to be quick and clever enough to overpower the Grand Storm Marshal, she wouldn’t be quick enough to outrun those bullets and the Admiral was said to have an excellent aim.

She would just have to wait for an opportunity later.

“You may leave us, gentlemen,” Merlwyb ordered. The guards that were posted on either side of the door saluted her and exited, leaving the four of them alone and no witnesses. As the door shut, the Admiral turned and examined them with hard eyes. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking as she walked around her desk and then leaned back against it.

“It bloody well took you long enough to get here.”

Both Carine and Alphinaud startled at her words, neither of them quite sure how to take it.

“I-I beg your pardon?” Alphinaud stuttered. “You were  _ expecting _ us?”

At this, the Admiral’s face softened and she nodded to her marshal who removed the gun from Carine’s back. “My apologies,” he said in passing. “I did not wish to create a stir within the alley. ‘Twas best to have you come of your own accord and quietly to keep them from suspecting too much.”

_ That’s one hell of a way to go about it, _ Carine rubbed her back without saying a word. She wasn’t sure who to trust, or if this was some part of a game they were playing in an attempt to have them let down their guard. She only hoped Alphinaud felt the same way.

“I admit, I had not counted on you seeking shelter in Coerthas,” Merlwyb went on, chuckling to herself. “In hindsight, it should have been my first thought, but full glad am I to see you did.”

“Yes, we are thankful to have made friends there that wish to help us in our time of need,” Alphinaud spoke carefully as not to give too much away. 

Her face fell at this as she nodded, momentary guilt written upon her features. 

“Might I ask why you brought us here?” Carine stepped forward, her thoughts singularly focused on the fact she knew where they had been. “Or rather, how you knew we would be here?”

“Straight to the point as ever, Warrior of Light,” Merlwyb turned to her. “I did not bring you here to arrest you, nor did I bring you here to turn you over to the Brass Blades and the Syndicate. On the contrary, I brought you here to give you information you may not yet have and fill you in on what I do know of the situation in Ul’dah.”

Carine and Alphinaud looked to each other, both confused and relieved and surprised in the same breath. 

“But our posters-”

“Unfortunately, there is naught I can do about them,” the Admiral shook her head. “The merchants that were invited to the banquet did exactly what Teledji counted on, and they spread the word of the accusations thrown against you well. While I suspect most people, especially those you have helped in your journey, do not believe in such tales, there are those that yet feel betrayed and would turn you over immediately if they knew you were here.”

“And what do you believe, Admiral?” Carine crossed her arms over her chest. Neither of them, for as long as she had known the Admiral, got along well. The Elezen still felt the scars of the near betrayal Merlwyb had committed when Gaius van Baelsar demanded Carine be turned over to them. “Last I recall, you seemed to believe I murdered the Sultana right before leaving me to my fate.” 

Again, there was that flash of guilt as the Admiral hung her head in shame. “You’re right,” she said, voice quietening. “‘Tis useless to dwell on the past, or so I have told myself every day following that banquet, but I could not help but think of what I should have done to help you and Raubahn that night,” she lifted her eyes and Carine could see the sincerity and regret within their pale depths. “If you think me craven for leaving when I did, or you think me foolish to not trust in you and the Scions, I would not hold it against you.”

Carine had not expected such an answer, not from the proud and steadfast Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn. She’d been hoping for a demand of proof of her innocence, or at the very least a demand of an explanation, but not this.

“Thank you, Admiral,” Alphinaud stepped in before Carine could fumble over her words and likely make a mess of the situation. “But this news, does it concern Raubahn?”

“Aye,” she nodded affirmation. “And the Sultana.”

“What do you mean?”

“Some few days prior to the banquet, Nanamo requested an audience with me and the Elder Seedseer. The Antecedent had been in attendance too, though she held her own private audience with the Sultana and left soon after,” Merlwyb explained. “There, she revealed her plan to announce her abdication that she might pave the way for the establishment of an Ul’dahn republic.”

“She what?” Alphinaud took a step back, eyes widening. “But wouldn’t such an announcement plunge the entire nation into chaos?”

“‘Tis what I asked her when she told me,” Carine nodded. Alphinaud shot her a look of shock, clearly surprised she knew of this before he had. “‘Twas the reason she granted me audience despite my less than friendly encounter with her handmaiden,” she added sheepishly. “She wished for me to assist Raubahn in keeping the peace following the announcement.”

Merlwyb smiled at Carine and nodded. “Aye. She said she would be seeking your aid as well as ours for the fallout,” she turned back to Alphinaud, “Her Grace was well aware of what would happen and was taking all precaution to ensure as peaceful a transition as possible. Alas, she was never able to make her announcement.”

Carine bowed her head. No, she hadn’t. Despite everything she had sought to achieve, the Sultana had not accounted for Teledji, or anyone, attempting to kill her and succeeding in the endeavor. Would that Carine had been a stronger healer. Violaine could have easily provided a spell that would have saved her. 

Alphinaud scratched at his chin. “So Teledji Adeledji must’ve caught wind of the Sultana’s plan and planned the assassination to maintain status quo. He must have known that such chaos would occur in the wake of her death as well. Unless…” 

His eyes lit up as he looked back at the Admiral, sparks of hope flashing for the first time in a long while. “It couldn’t be. I dare not hope-” he said, though his words betrayed the feelings within his heart.

“‘Tis the other news we wished to share with you,” the Grand Storm Marshal stepped forward and uncrossed his arms. “The Ul’dahn authorities have yet to announce the Sultana’s passing.”

This time, it was Carine’s turn to be surprised. There was no reason the announcement shouldn’t have been made. There were people there at the banquet that had heard her sins and the accusations thrown at her as surely as they had heard word of the assassination of the Sultana. If word of her misdeeds had spread to every corner of Eorzea, then surely that should have as well. 

“Aye. According to them, Her Grace is convalescing from illness. Mayhap they are waiting for a better time to convey the news. Mayhap they know of some other reason to delay. Take that as you will,” Merlwyb added.

Clever, but to what end? Carine wondered if it was because she was not yet in their custody that they kept it secret. If word spread out that the Warrior of Light supposedly murdered the beloved Sultana and was yet at large, it could create a panic. Wide-spread panic was the last thing the city of Ul’dah needed when its general was incarcerated. It was the only thing to make any logical sense to her. 

“Another thing troubling me, Admiral,” Alphinaud had since relaxed, his trust in the Roegadyn woman before him slowly restoring with each thing she told them, “Is it true that Raubahn was supposed to be released and reinstated as general to the Immortal Flames?”

“How did you-?” she frowned, not expecting him to know anything about the general given how far removed they had been for the last month. “Nevermind. Yes, ‘tis true. Alas, my sources have recently delivered information to me that would suggest he has been ferried away by soldiers decked in blue.”

Alphinaud’s fists clenched in time with his jaw. “The Crystal Braves.”

“So it would seem.”

“If your sources could tell us where to start looking for him, that would be most helpful,” Carine interjected, seeing him become visibly angry. While she knew he would find his control again, she wished to spare him should that anger give way to despair again. 

“Unfortunately, they have not yet been able to discern where he has been taken, but they have been tailing members seen in contact with Ilberd and Yuyuhase,” Merlwyb explained. “In fact, my sources are what allowed me to know you would be arriving here in Limsa Lominsa and what to look for. I’ll admit, had Yugiri not informed me you had cut and colored your hair, we likely never would have noticed your passing.”

So it was Yugiri that had tipped them off. While a part of her had wished the Au’Ra had said something to her, she was equally glad she hadn’t. It was clear to her that she did not care, nor trusted Teazer in the same manner as Carine. If Teazer, who was clearly working with someone within the Syndicate, caught wind of another outside force wanting to have a say in what the Warrior of Light did to assist in the matter, it would stand to reason that it would cause tension between nations. 

“Yugiri said you would also be in need of a ship.” At this, Merlwyb nodded to her right hand man and stepped out of the room. “I know ‘tis late, and will likely not make up for the past, but I have a captain and crew on standby that will ferry you unhindered to Vesper Bay,” she stepped forward and extended her arm to Carine, “Come what may, know the Scions of the Seventh Dawn may count on our cooperation.”

“Thank you, Admiral,” Alphinaud smiled up at her and took her hand when offered to him next. “We could stand to accumulate all the allies we can in these trying times.”

Carine nodded in agreement. As the Admiral had said, it was useless to dwell on the past. If Yugiri found trust and faith in Merlwyb enough to relay information and work alongside her, then the Warrior of Light felt free to trust in her judgment. She just hoped that this time, her trust wasn’t sorely misplaced.

**Author's Note:**

> Guess what? Your girl is BACK!
> 
> After a year of fighting with this fic, deleting it, restarting it, deleting it some more, I am pleased to say that I am finally forging the path to delivering the next installment of The Ties that Bind! Life got in the way and for the past year I have suffered from major depression as a result from the job I thought I loved. In just one week of leaving, my inspiration has come flooding back along with my love for Carine, Haurchefant, and of course, Nero tol Scaeva. 
> 
> Bear with me as I post these chapters as they come to me. I'm in it for the long haul and ecstatic to share with you the next step in Carine's journey and thank you for your patience!!!!


End file.
